Electrostatic apparatus.



PATENTED APR. 17, 1906. L. I. BLAKE.

ELECTROSTATIC APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 23. 1905.

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UNITED STATES LUCIEN I. BLAKE, OF LAWRENCE, KANSAS.

Specification of ELECTRQSTTiC PFRAUSn Letters Patent. Patented April 1'?, 1906.

Application filed January 23,1905. Serial No. 242,235.

To all ich/0m, it may concern: k

Be it known that l, LUcrEN I. BLAKE, a citi-, zen of the United States, and a resident of Lawrence, in the county of Douglas and State of IKansas, have invented certain new` and useful Improvements in Electrostatic Apparatus, of which theiollowing is a specilcation, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the same.

This invention relates to electrostatic apparatus, and relates especially to apparatus or producing continuous unidirectional electrostatic discharges fromv inductioncoils, transformers, or other sources of highpotential velectricity having varying potential. I, In the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference-numeral refers to similar parts in both figures, Figure 1 is a sectional diagrammatic view of an embodiment of this invention. s Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a modiiied construction.

Inthe illustrated embodiment othis invention the primary winding 1 of an induction-coil is indicated as connected with the .battery or other source of electricity 2 and as being in circuit with asuitable break 3, so that intermittent electrical impulses of high potential and; varying direction are produced inthe secondary winding 4 of this inductioncoil. In Vorder to utilize these alternating electrical impulses for some electrostatic work, suitable convectors may be connected to the coil-terminals for the purpose of rendering the high-potential electricity unidirec- As indicated in the drawings, theconvector maycomprisea casing 5, preferably of glass or similar insulating material provided with a'suitable cap 10, which preferably entirely closes the casing and forms an air-tight chamber. If desired', the vacuum connection 11 in the form of a tube or otherwise may be secured to the casing and provided with a valve 12, this pipe leading to a suitable airump for producing the desired pressure wit 'n the casing.

The electrodes are mounted within the casing and preferably are adjustable in position, so that they can be maintained at such distance apart that disruptive discharges cannot take place and so thatJ theamount of convective discharge between them can be suitably regulated. The exposed electrode may 'have any desired form to allow the convective 'discharges to take place. y The exposed elecl I trode 6 is indicated vin Fig. 1 as being a sharp or pointed electrode, and its stem 7 1s preferably threaded, so as to engage a threaded opening in the cap 10, and thus accurately adjust the position of this electrode 6 by turning the nut 8. rIhe'other electrode 9 may be of any desired shape and may have the plate form indicated. This electrode is preferably embedded in suitable cover` material 14, this cover being preferably composed of suitable sized partie es of insulating material-such, for instance, as powdered silica.

'The convector is indicated as operating in connection with electrostatic separator which comprises the rotating drum 16, located adjacent the discharge end of the feedboard 17. Powdered material is supplied by the hopper 18, this material being regularly i feddown the board Vby the reciprocating stream on the electrified drum, this separating apparatus being. constructed and operating in a generally similar manner to what is described in the United States Patent No. 701,417, granted June 3, 1902. In this manner the alternating high-potential electricity from the secondary winding 4 of the indue tion-coil passes over the connection 13 and is discharged convectively from the electrode 6. This electricity is thus supplied in quite a regular manner to the covered electrode 9, Which-is electrically connected by the wire or othein connection 15 with the drum 16. This separator-drum is thus maintained at a submay be adjusted by suitably regulating the distance between the two convectoreloctrodes Within the casing, a greater separator `of course diminishing the potential of the drum or other utilizing devicef The regulation of the potential of the electrode 9 and the drum or other utilizing device and also the amount of electricity supplied will be eiiected to some extent by regulating the pressure of air or other gas within the convector-casing. The vacuum connection allows this to be done, the reduction of `pressure in the convector-casing promoting the convective discharge. between the electained. It desired, however, the convectorcasing may have an open connection with the atmosphere which can be effected by suitably opening the valve 12 or otherwise;

It' desired, a similar convector maybe used invconnection with the other secondaryelecfstanti'ally uniform electrical potential which.

feeders 19, and thus discharge in a regular trodes so long as a moderate pressure is main- ,VITO

i the adjusting-nut 28, so as tion of the electrode 26 with respect to thr This trode of the induction-coil. The con-vectorcasing 25 is similarly formed and is provided With a similar vacuum connection 31 having the valve 32 therein. 'lhe exposed electrode 26 is indicated in this instance as pointed and is provided with the threaded stem 27 and to adjust the posicover 30 and the other electrode 2t). plate-electrode 29 is indicated as located Within the covering material 34 and as being electrically connected with the secondary terminal of the induction-coil by thel connection 33. The drum 36 of the electrostatic separator isl connected in this instance by the insulated Wire 35 with the exposed electrode 25. The selparatorisin this instance similarly constructs( and comprises the inclined feedboard 37, the hopper 3S, and the cords or similar feeding elements 39. This drum 36 can be maintained ata substantially constant electrical potential, and this potential, Which is opposite in sign from that possessed by the drum 16, canbe suitabl regulated by the adjustment of the electrode 26 or by the adjustment of the pressure within the convector-casing. trodes, especially if pointed, tend to discharge positive electricity.

If desired, the casing 40 (indicated in Fig. 2 maybe given the substantially closed form) and the exposed electrode may be given any desired form and ma have a considerable area, the electrode 41 eing indicated having a plate form, although, of course, a ball or other shaped electrode may be used. rlhe stem 42 of this electrode is indicated threaded, so that the position ofthe electrode Within the casing may be adjusted by turning the nut 43. 'The covered electrode 45 is indicated in this case as having a substantially spherical form and is embedded in insulating material which has been reduced to particles of the desired size, and indeed in some cases the casing may be horizontally arranged and both electrodes covered or embedded, substantially as described. This covered elec trode is connected with the wire or other conductor 46, theother terminal of the convector being suitably connected with the stem 42 ol" the exposed electrode.

It is ot course understood by those familiar with this art that many changes may be The exposed convector-elec-V l l l i i made in the form, size, proportion, and numbers of parts ol this apparatus, parts of the saine may be used alone, and parts may be used in connection with other devices with out departing from the spirit ot thisinvention or losing the advantages ol" the same. l do not, therefore, desire to be limited to the details ol` the disclosure which has been made in this ease; but what i claim as new and what l desire to secure by iiettcrs Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

l claimA 1. ln electrostatic apparatus, an induction-coil producing alternating,T high-potential impulses in. its secondary winding and a convector comprising a casinff a covered electrode and an exposed point-electrode within said casing and having a screw adjustment, one of said electrodes being connected to a terminal of said induction-coil. P

2. In electrostatic apparatus, an air-tight convector-casing, a valved vacuum connection upon said casing, a covered electrode in said casing embedded in particles of insulating material and an adjustable exposed pointelectrode in said casing.

3. in electrostatic apparatus, a casing,`a covered electrode in said casing embedded in particles ot insulating material and a coperating exposed point -electrode adjustably mounted in said casing.

4. ln electrostatic apparatus, a casing, a covered electrode vwithin said casing and a cooperating exposed electrode adjustably mounted in said casing.

5. In electrostatic apparatus, a covered electrode and a cooperating 'exposed electrode.

6...'[11 an electrostatic apparatus, a source of alternating high-potential electricity and means to allow the convective discharge ot said electricity to produ cc unidirectional electric discharges.

7. 'In electrostatic apparatus, a source of high-potential electricity having a varying potential and Ameans to allow the convective discharge of said electricity to produce unidirectional discharges ot substantiaily uniform tension.

v LUCiEN 1. BLAKE.

Witnesses:

W. S. HsrrZMoN, A. F. HENDRIX. 

